Spalding Seconds were denied victory in the NLD Merit Cup semi-final by the narrowest of margins in controversial circumstances against Leesbrook.
The hosts went down 25-24 to their Derby visitors but thought they had won it when James Holland curled a conversion high between the posts with eight minutes to go. However, although the linesman indicated a successful kick, the referee overruled him. At the same time the Leesbrook captain was red carded and very shortly afterwards the referee blew for full time.
Leesbrook took an early lead from a penalty ad withstood Spalding pressure before extending their lead with a converted try to go 10-0 ahead.
With scrum half Rob Lucas pinning the ball out from the rucks, Dan Adams made a good break. He evaded tackles to reach the visitors’ five metre line and a crash ball move saw Bailey Hudson score.
Spalding took the game to the opposition with the scrum performing well, led by props Connor Broome, Tom Parker and hooker Tom Dunbar. James Holland came off the bench to carve his way through to score and his conversion gave the hosts a two-point advantage
With half-time approaching, Leesbrook took a quick tap penalty to charge over for their second try and a three-point advantage.
Early in the second half, Adams broke through several frail tackles to score and a successful conversion saw Spalding back in the lead by four points.
Instead of consolidating and kicking for territory, Spalding tried to launch a counter-attack, spreading the ball wide, in front of their own posts and a poor long pass was intercepted by the visitors to score for a lead of one point.
Shortly afterwards a sweeping move along the backs saw Leesbrook sail past several tacklers to increase their lead to six points.
Spalding turned on the gas in the last ten minutes and after several penalties were conceded by Leesbrook, a try was worked out wide only for the potential winning additional points to be ruled out by the referee.
Spalding have the chance to bounce back in style this Saturday when they entertain Horncastle, 3pm, with the chance to become league champions.
Spalding: Broome, Dunbar, Parker, Crane, Whelan, Pite, Canham, Medlock, Lucas, Adams, Hall, Dean-Alen, Brundle, Coon, Hudson. Subs: Holland, Davis, Daft, Monaghan, Bettison, Batterbee, Warwrzyniak.
